Fever of the worst kind
by Catnip. No way man
Summary: Merlin gets a fever while on a hunt... guilty Arthur and hurt Merin ensue
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! Today we're gonna whump Merlin. A favorite past-time of mine. More 'AN' at the bottom!**

**Hope you enjoy! **

**Like always, I don't own nothing or nobody.**

Merlin let out a string of curses as he headed towards the horse stables. The previous night Merlin had faced an unruly sorcerer who was hell-bent on killing Arthur.

From doing so, he was exhausted and woke up late to get Arthur his breakfast. Now, he was here getting ready to muck out the stables. The stupid prat.

Merlin carefully mucked out the stables and tended to the horses. Each horse putting up their own fight due to being bothered.

It was well past noon when Merlin finally finished. He was covered in dirty straw and horse dung. All he wanted to do was take a nice bath and head to bed.

Merlin passed by the guards and servants, making sure to greet any who waved to him. Merlin was well known around the castle and barely went anywhere without someone greeting him.

He carefully made his way into his and Gaius' chambers. Carefully avoiding anything his clumsy self could knock down.

Luckily Gaius wasn't there to make fun of him.

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After Merlin got cleaned and helped Gaius with his rounds, he carefully picked up Arthur's dinner and headed to his chambers.

Without knocking, Merlin walked into the room to see Arthur and Guinevere hunched over the dinning table with papers scattered about.

'Important work I see?' Merlin asked as he set the tray on the table.

Gwen looked up and smiled as Arthur grunted. 'Nothing to concern my manservant with.' Arthur stated a little harshly.

Merlin ignored the attitude and looked at Gwen. She looked up at Merlin apologetically. 'Arthur's in a mood, we've been at this table all day.' Gwen then directed her next statement at Arthur. 'Let's get some food.'

Arthur looked up at Gwen and allowed a small smile to play at his lips. 'That's a brilliant idea.'

After Merlin settled Arthur and Gwen at the table to eat their supper, Merlin used the time to tidy up the room. In the process of doing so, he tripped over a loose pair of trousers and almost fell.

'I swear _Mer_lin, do you always have to be so clumsy?'

'At least I'm not always such a clot pole, _sire._' Merlin retorted at the jibe.

Merlin finished cleaning the room and let Arthur and Gwen eat their meal in peace.

Merlin walked down the hall and stopped suddenly. A head ache made itself known, and Merlin felt slightly dizzy. Shaking it off due to not enough sleep, Merlin made his way to Gaius'.

Merlin already knew it was going to be a long night.

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Merlin had never been so right. His head ache developed into a constant pounding in his skull, his knees felt weak and shaky, and he felt like the world was constantly spinning.

Merlin barely got any sleep and work up way before dawn. He shuffled his way to the kitchens to pick up Arthur's breakfast. After picking up the breakfast (and ignoring eating his own) he headed to his chambers. Outside Arthur's door he took a breath and forced his body to stop shaking.

'Rise and shine!' Merlin pulled open the curtains and heard Arthur moan.

Arthur slowly woke himself up and looked at Merlin. Not noticing how horrible his manservant looked.

'Least your not late today. Leave my breakfast here and go tell the knights we're going hunting. Gwen insisted on getting me away from the castle.'

Merlin swallowed nervously and nodded slowly. 'When will we leave?'

Arthur looked thoughtful for a moment. 'Noon.'

Merlin nodded and headed towards the door. He paused when Arthur called him back. 'And Merlin, dont forget to pack some food! We barely survived last time due to your foolishness!'

If Arthur was expecting a retort back, he didn't signal that he was worried when Merlin just nodded and hurried away without saying a word.

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Of course Arthur would choose to go hunting when it was raining. Merlin was hunched over his horse, miserable while rain poored in his too thin, worn jacket.

The knights all laughed as Gwaine told them about his latest adventure in the tavern, the rain not fazing their good moods. Arthur led the party, with Merlin and Leon trailing behind him. Percival, Gwaine, and Elyan took the rear.

They had been riding all day with no hunting luck, (thanks to Merlin's clumsiness) and the shadows were slowly getting longer. Luckily, it stopped raining a while ago and now Merlin felt chilled to the bone.

Merlin was feeling worse than when he woke up and he was scared he'd fall off his horse if they didn't stop soon. He just hoped Arthur would decide to make camp soon.

Arthur finally signaled for the hunting party to stop when they reached a sheltered grove. Merlin gratefully got off his horse and started unpacking.

Arthur took Elyan and Leon to look around the area, checking for bandits. Gwaine and Percival busied themselves by unpacking their horses as well.

Gwaine paused in his actions, looking over at Merlin as he struggled with carrying their cooking pots.

'You okay there Merlin?' Merlin paused in his ministrations and smiled at Gwaine.

'I'm okay, I just have a small headache.' Gwaine nodded sympathetically.

'Let me unpack your horse mate, you start looking for some fire wood.'

'Thank you Gwaine.' Gwaine smiled and motioned for Merlin to get moving.

Merlin's legs felt like jelly and sweat dripped down his face. The forest was spinning around him at an alarming speed. He somehow managed to get some good sized wood that was dry enough to light and unsteadily headed back to camp.

When he got back, Arthur, Eyan, and Leon had gotten back from checking the area. They all sat around the camp, waiting for Merlin to make the campfire.

They didn't notice Merlin until he started the fire and made the stew.

The knights gratefully took the good smelling stew eating it hungrily. Merlin made sure to pile all the stew in the bowls, not feeing hungry.

The knights sat back down and Arthur looked at him curiously. 'Your not going to eat any of the stew?'

Merlin forced a smile and shook his head. Quickly sucking in a breath at the pain.

'I ate before we left, I'm not really hungry.' The King and the knights laughed.

'Your a stick Merlin.' Arthur stated.

'You need to eat more' Percival spoke up.

'A breeze'll blow you over mate' Gwaine said through laughter.

Merlin huffed and headed over to the horses. He quickly fed them and watered them. Afterward, we took the bowls and the pot, cleaned them and packed them away.

By the time he was done, the knights had settled down. Gwaine, Eyan, and Leon were already snoring softly from where they slept.

Percival had lost a bet the previous day and got the honor of taking guard for the night. Arthur quickly followed the sleeping knights and lay down.

Merlin said a quick goodnight to Percival and sat against a tree. He closed his eyes and willed his head to stop pounding.

He felt the sweat dripping down his back and let out a deep sigh. He was finally lulled into a peaceful sleep, welcoming the comforting darkness.

Little did he know, he wouldn't be able to be woke up the next morning.

**Hey guys! Hope you like the story so far. This is chapter one out of two and sorry for the cliffy! **

**I'll be posting chapter two in a couple of days so you won't have to wait long!**

**Have a good day everyone!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! This is chapter two of Merlin's fever! I really enjoyed making the first part of this chapter, so hope you enjoy!**

Arthur paced around the camp. Gwaine and Percival were crouched by Merlin's sleeping form. At least that was what Arthur was calling it. He didn't want to think about how Merlin was unconscious due to a serious fever.

Arthur and the knights had woken up a little after dawn, wondering where their breakfast was. Percival said he saw Merlin sleeping, but didn't think to wake him.

Gwaine had found Merlin leaned against a tree, sweating profusely. No matter what they did, Merlin would not wake up.

Arthur stopped pacing and looked at Merlin. He was pale and looked as if death was upon him. Arthur was scared it was.

'Alright! Obviously Merlin isn't feeling the best. We need to get him to Gaius, however I don't think he's in moving condition. We'll camp here for one more day.' Arthur stated to the knights.

Gwaine spoke up from where he was crouched by Merlin. 'We need to get his fever down. He's burning up.'

'He looks so thin.' Elyan said sadly.

'Hasn't he eaten?' Leon looked at Arthur pointedly.

Arthur bowed his head in shame, when was the last time he'd seen Merlin eat something? Clearing his throat the worried King organized jobs.

'Percival, you and I will stay guard at camp. Gwaine, go collect some fire wood. Leon, Elyan, go find some food we can eat tonight. It looks like we're all out.' Each knight nodded and hurried off into the forest.

Percival carefully maneuvered Merlin unto his back. Arthur walked up and took off his scarlet red cape, and gently lay it on Merlin's thin frame.

'Go soak a cloth in some water. It'll help cool him down' Arthur spoke softly. Percival nodded and grabbed a small cloth Merlin had brought.

Arthur was left alone with a silent Merlin. Something Merlin should never be. Without realizing it, Arthur started whispering reassurances to his manservant.

'Don't worry Merlin. You spooked the knights, but Gaius will take care of you. I can't believe how much of an idiot you are! Going out to hunt when your sick.' Arthur silently added that he didn't have a choice.

Percival arrived shortly after his statement and started dabbing Merin's forehead. Merlin felt incredibly hot and Arthur started to sweat from the heat radiating off of him.

After a short while, the cloth was almost dry and Merlin felt a little cooler. Gwaine has come back with fire wood and now started working on making a fire. Percival day at the edge of camp and sharpened his sword. Elyan and Leon were still out hunting. _What we should be doing right now. _Arthur couldn't help but think, he instantly felt guilty.

It was his fault Merlin was out here in the first place.

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The knights had eaten a soup that Elyan's mother had made. Elyan said he remembered how to make it and instantly volunteered to make dinner.

The soup was good and the knights ate it quickly. Shortly after, the knights headed to bed one by one. The only two up were Gwaine and Arthur.

'Go to sleep. I'll keep watch.' Arthur looked at Gwaine.

'Yeah right princess. You need beauty sleep, I'll keep watch.'

'Go to bed Gwaine. I have it handled. Gwaine looked at Arthur quzziedly for a moment.

Gwaine sighed and headed over to where the others' lay. Before drifting off to sleep, he mumbled to Arthur. 'It's not your fault, he chose to come.'

Arthur sighed sadly and looked over to the prone form of Merlin. It _was _his fault, if only he saw that Merlin was sick, he should've known better.

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Dawn came quickly and Arthur made quick work to wake up all the knights. He rushed around the camp making sure everything was packed. It was weird doing it by himself without Merlin's help.

They quickly finished packing up camp and Arthur told Gwaine to attach Merlin's horse to his. Arthur then made his way to Merlin, who was still out cold.

He gently picked Merlin up and with help from Leon and Percival, got him on Arthur's horse. They rode towards Camelot urgently, fearing that Merlin could get worse.

After riding for a while, Merlin finally started to stir. Instantly, Arthur signaled to stop and waited patiently as Merlin slowly up his eyes.

They were wide and glassy, but Merlin instantly smiled when he saw Arthur. Arthur couldn't help but smile back, happy that Merlin was awake after so long. What Arthur didn't expect was Merlin to say

'Did the hunt go well?'

Arthur couldn't help but laugh and soon the other knights joined in. Arthur was just happy that Merlin was awake and coherent... ish.

He's never letting Merlin go hunting without checking he isn't sick again.

**Hey everyone! Hope everyone enjoyed this little fanfic I made! Leave a review and tell me what you thought about it! **

**Also taking requests! **


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